An interaction between PM10 and periodontitis may contribute to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among non-smoking Taiwanese populations

Abstract

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and periodontal disease have been linked to higher levels of particulate matter, including PM10. Our study examined the relationship between PM10, COPD, and periodontal disease in non-smoking Taiwanese individuals. To determine this association, we used data from 105,124 subjects in Taiwan Biobank (TWB), which were linked to their medical records in the National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD). Air pollution data were available from 2000 to 2020. Concentrations of PM10 were determined using Met-One BAM-1020. PM10 was measured and annual average concentrations were calculated and divided into four groups based on quartiles. We used multivariate logistic regression models for analyses. Among those with COPD (n = 12,378), 11,889 had periodontal disease. In comparison to PM10 < 15 μg/m3, the adjusted ORs for COPD were 1.178 (95% CI, 1.008–1.378) for 15 μg/m3 to ≤33.260 μg/m3, 1.288 (95% CI 1.096–1.514) for >33.260 μg/m3 to ≤43.557 μg/m3, 1.548 (95% CI, 1.309–1.831) for >43.557 μg/m3 to ≤54.343 μg/m3, and 2.045 (95% CI, 1.708–2.449) for PM10 > 54.343 μg/m3. Periodontal disease was also associated with COPD (OR = 1.277; 95% CI, 1.153–1.415). There was an interaction between both conditions (p = 0.014). Elevated PM10 levels were associated with an increased risk of COPD, particularly in individuals with periodontal disease (p for trend <0.001). These findings underscore the deleterious effects of elevated PM10 levels on both respiratory and oral health, as demonstrated by a dose-response relationship between PM10 exposure and COPD risk in patients with periodontal disease.